Baptist Temple sets fast pace for summer

Summer has reached the Baptist Temple Campus. Jubilee Academy is out for the summer but things have not quieted down. Care Warriors have begun their summer program to help young people with developmental disabilities build life skills that lead to greater independence. The program includes music and crafts and working at the thrift store. During the summer, the thrift store will be open on Mondays and Wednesdays and run by Care Warriors. Our usual Tuesday/Thursday schedule will also be maintained.

Our Early Learning Center is hopping as well with 110 enrolled. Summer day camp has filled in the gap created by the end of after school care.

Crosspointe Inc, a nonprofit organization that helps people reintegrate into society, was here on the first Saturday of June, moving a large mound of mulch into the community garden. The mulch is a beautiful way to suppress the weeds on the pathways. A crew of BT folks cut down the dead citrus trees around our Long Mission House. The trees were victims of the recent freeze.

A mission team from First Baptist Church of Tulsa arrived this week to lead to VBS for our Early Learning Center and at Highland Park. They also brought a construction team to work on a couple of projects. One was to seal 17 of our first story windows, providing increased security and insulation. Another was to prepare a space for, soon to arrive, Fletcher Seminary. They built bookcases, ran electrical and computer network wiring, painted the walls. They helped to set a fast pace for our summer.

We do not have any more groups scheduled for the summer. COVID fears discouraged churches from making summer plans but many are starting to venture out. Past experience and flexibility will allow us to maximize opportunities as they present themselves.

Servant Spotlight: Miguel Garcia

Miguel Garcia is Baptist Temple's Student.Church summer missionary for 2018. This program of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, provides college students to serve CBF related churches around America.

Born in Wichita, Kansas and raised in Houston, Miguel began to study world religions at an early age. He went from ancient mythology to the major religions with a some side trips into folk religions and atheism. His conclusion was that there is no God and the church was a lie. The idea of God was only useful, perhaps, to comfort the dying.

During a theological debate with a Christian about the virtues of Polytheism vs. Monotheism, he began to wonder about the possible credibility of Christianity. The Holy Spirit had previously used a Christian novel to warm his heart and expand his mind so, Miguel sought out a religious professional (a pastor) to answer his questions.

He went to church dressed in his Sunday best and was pleasantly surprised at the relaxed dress of the other worshipers. It seemed inviting, The pastor answered his questions and invited Miguel to return that evening.

At the youth gathering that evening, he saw students he recognized from school. The lesson that evening was about a God-shaped hole inside us that only God could fill. It touched Miguel deeply and his heart was changed by Jesus that night.

After his high school graduation, Miguel started attending the Baptist University of the Americas. He had received an ad in the mail and was impressed by it's affordability, national recognition and the ability to pursue his life passion, music.

Miguel began his music journey at age 10, learning to play brass instruments, later adding piano, percussion and guitar. He has written 24 pieces of music and finished a symphony by age 17. He has applied his talents to church worship, including playing in worship bands and audio-visual support.

This is Miguel's third Student.Church experience. He will begin his senior year at BUA in the fall and desires to become a music educator. Miguel credits BUA with helping him to understand his strengths and limitations and mature as a follower of Jesus.